The development and evaluation of software for teaching reading at primary level

Abstract

IT in the classroom can provide both those children beginning to read and those finding difficulty learning to read with the opportunity to practice regularly with minimum supervision. The use of speech synthesis, graphics and the future incorporation of speech recognition have the potential to revolutionise the use of computers in the classroom. Talking book software, which replicates real books with the addition of speech feedback, complements well the current holistic approaches to teaching reading in a meaningful context. Thus, it is this form of software which is the focus of my research. The aim of the study is to identify any weaknesses in software currently being used in the UK, as highlighting its strengths. The design of a prototype system will draw upon the findings of an extensive review of the literature on the theory of learning to read, and the results of a pilot study evaluating talking book software. One of the objectives of this research is to identify whether the use of talking book software in the classroom helps children in their efforts to learn to read or removes the need to try. In addition, it is acknowledged that the new technology of speech recognition should have a great impact upon future computer assisted reading software. In order to explore this aspect, contact has been made with two commercial UK companies who are jointly developing 'talking and listening' books. They will be evaluating the new system this year and have agreed to my involvement in this process, in exchange for being able to report upon the results in my thesis. Another aspect related to the research is the effective evaluation of such software. As part of my doctoral studies, a framework for evaluation has already been designed based upon a holistic approach including pedagogical issues, cognitive, affective and technical issues [Lewin, 1995a]. This research is now in its second of three years.